Advice on Veterinary Application Process

[Thalia Hernandez-Wilson]

Hi everyone, I am a rising senior and am applying to veterinary school but I also will be a combined degree student (hopefully lol) as I am applying to the DVM/Ph.D. Program. I want to do my Ph.D. in neuroscience. I kept everything in mind that I previously asked for advice when picking a school. I have my nine choices of where to go to school. I am just worried about not being the best applicant that I can be. I have struggled to obtain veterinary hours. I got into this summer's SEP Program at UC Davis which would give me 100 hours if I am able to go.
1. I am also wondering for anyone especially in New York anyone knows how I could get experience. I only got one yes from a veterinary clinic and won't be able to start until the fall semester. Every other place has basically denied me or never replied.
2. I have done research before transferring back home to a different school for about two years and a semester but I didn't make a connection strong enough to ask for a LOR when I was at MUSC over the summer doing cancer research. What should I do?
3. I also have struggled with stats this semester and I already had a C for both Physics I lecture and lab, organic I, and II labs, and for general Chemistry II lecture. Some admissions people said to retake either Physics I or Stats, it just depends on my grade but I like need a 4.8 or 4.9 in some cases. What other ways can I add to my gpa? I was also looking at post-bac programs since I graduate in May 2024 but I don't think I'd be able to hand those new grades in on time to send them in for vet school admissions since that is when I'd be applying for vet school.

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[matthirten13]

2. I have done research before transferring back home to a different school for about two years and a semester but I didn't make a connection strong enough to ask for a LOR when I was at MUSC over the summer doing cancer research. What should I do?

A bit confused here, did you do research for 2.5 years + a summer, or just the summer? You don't need a research LoR from every place you did research at. I didn't use two of the labs I was in. Do you have any places you could ask for a research LoR currently?

If I'm reading correctly, you do not currently have any veterinary experience? How do you know a DVM is right for you in that case? Also, many schools have a minimum hours needed just to apply, so be aware.

 

[supershorty]

Hi everyone, I am a rising senior and am applying to veterinary school but I also will be a combined degree student (hopefully lol) as I am applying to the DVM/Ph.D. Program. I want to do my Ph.D. in neuroscience. I kept everything in mind that I previously asked for advice when picking a school. I have my nine choices of where to go to school. I am just worried about not being the best applicant that I can be. I have struggled to obtain veterinary hours. I got into this summer's SEP Program at UC Davis which would give me 100 hours if I am able to go.
1. I am also wondering for anyone especially in New York anyone knows how I could get experience. I only got one yes from a veterinary clinic and won't be able to start until the fall semester. Every other place has basically denied me or never replied.
2. I have done research before transferring back home to a different school for about two years and a semester but I didn't make a connection strong enough to ask for a LOR when I was at MUSC over the summer doing cancer research. What should I do?
3. I also have struggled with stats this semester and I already had a C for both Physics I lecture and lab, organic I, and II labs, and for general Chemistry II lecture. Some admissions people said to retake either Physics I or Stats, it just depends on my grade but I like need a 4.8 or 4.9 in some cases. What other ways can I add to my gpa? I was also looking at post-bac programs since I graduate in May 2024 but I don't think I'd be able to hand those new grades in on time to send them in for vet school admissions since that is when I'd be applying for vet school.

I'm going to be very direct with you: I do not suggest you apply to dual degree programs with your current application status. You will not be a competitive applicant for those programs and you're going to be wasting your money.

1.) Keep trying. How are you phrasing it when you're asking for your hours? Are you asking to shadow one day, or asking for a long-term commitment?

As matt mentioned, most programs will have a minimum number of hours to be considered and 100 is not going to be sufficient. It's also not enough for you to understand the field of veterinary medicine and what being a vet truly entails. Why do you want to be a vet? Why do you want to be a clinician-scientist?

Both of these questions are going to be essential for you to know the answers to and be able to explain why you need to do both degrees together. Dual programs are very selective and they're looking for people who really know the answers to those questions. But also keep in mind that there's no reason you can't pursue both degrees separately, or apply for a dual program once admitted to veterinary school. Just make sure you're applying to a school that has a dual program, in that case. But many dual degree students do not matriculate as dual students from the get-go; you can usually apply to join the program after a year or 2 in the DVM, and tbh I recommend that for most people anyway, as it gives you those summers to identify a research mentor who has the funding at that time for a grad student.

2.) How much research did you actually do during this time? What was your role?
This is another situation where not applying for dual programs outright might be better for you - there is a national summer research program for veterinary students within their colleges that gives you an opportunity to identify a research mentor who may be able to write you a reference for a dual program later on.

3.) So you have a total of 5 Cs on your transcript? Have you posted a WAMC thread with your GPAs and hours previously?
Edit: I just looked and you have not. That's going to be very helpful for all of us to give you better advice - including suggestions on what to do for your academic situation.

 

[sheltermed]

Just to add to what's already been said, I would strongly suggest considering some gap years, not only to gain some relevant professional experience but life experience as well. I had 3 gap years total, and I attribute much of what qualified me to get into a dual degree program (and vet school in general - I recommend gap year(s) to nearly everyone regardless of intended degree program) to the work I accomplished during that time. It would also take off some of that pressure to get your clinical experience in within the next year. You don't have to go straight to vet school after graduation!

 

[supershorty]

Just to add to what's already been said, I would strongly suggest considering some gap years, not only to gain some relevant professional experience but life experience as well. I had 3 gap years total, and I attribute much of what qualified me to get into a dual degree program (and vet school in general - I recommend gap year(s) to nearly everyone regardless of intended degree program) to the work I accomplished during that time. It would also take off some of that pressure to get your clinical experience in within the next year. You don't have to go straight to vet school after graduation!

I also had multiple gap years and second this advice.

 

[Melchizedek]

Hi everyone, I am a rising senior and am applying to veterinary school but I also will be a combined degree student (hopefully lol) as I am applying to the DVM/Ph.D. Program. I want to do my Ph.D. in neuroscience. I kept everything in mind that I previously asked for advice when picking a school. I have my nine choices of where to go to school. I am just worried about not being the best applicant that I can be. I have struggled to obtain veterinary hours. I got into this summer's SEP Program at UC Davis which would give me 100 hours if I am able to go.
1. I am also wondering for anyone especially in New York anyone knows how I could get experience. I only got one yes from a veterinary clinic and won't be able to start until the fall semester. Every other place has basically denied me or never replied.
2. I have done research before transferring back home to a different school for about two years and a semester but I didn't make a connection strong enough to ask for a LOR when I was at MUSC over the summer doing cancer research. What should I do?
3. I also have struggled with stats this semester and I already had a C for both Physics I lecture and lab, organic I, and II labs, and for general Chemistry II lecture. Some admissions people said to retake either Physics I or Stats, it just depends on my grade but I like need a 4.8 or 4.9 in some cases. What other ways can I add to my gpa? I was also looking at post-bac programs since I graduate in May 2024 but I don't think I'd be able to hand those new grades in on time to send them in for vet school admissions since that is when I'd be applying for vet school.

General advice, you should probably not use (what I'm assuming is) your real name and picture on SDN.


ETA: There's some sketchy people on this site.

 

[potentialsheltervet]

Just to add to what's already been said, I would strongly suggest considering some gap years, not only to gain some relevant professional experience but life experience as well. I had 3 gap years total, and I attribute much of what qualified me to get into a dual degree program (and vet school in general - I recommend gap year(s) to nearly everyone regardless of intended degree program) to the work I accomplished during that time. It would also take off some of that pressure to get your clinical experience in within the next year. You don't have to go straight to vet school after graduation!

Seconded. I didn't apply to a dual program, but I'm at the end of my third gap year. I did a master's program to help show I can handle upper level sciences (I did okay in undergrad science, but had a late field switch and needed to prove I wasn't only good at English) and spent a lot of time working at GPs, volunteering at a spay/neuter clinic, volunteering with general medical stuff at a shelter, and getting a dog training certification. Gap years are a great time to pursue your interests in vet med and diversify experience. For me, it's behavior and shelter med, and you can tell I used my gap years to delve into those more.
Applying to vet school is expensive, especially since you mentioned applying to nine schools. Depending on your overall stats, taking one or more gap years to get a master's or retake some prereqs, and work on your experience will not only make you a more competitive applicant but also make you more aware of your goals, where you want to apply, and give you good fodder for your essays and interviews.

 

[Viscernable]

ETA: There's some sketchy people on this site.

You would know

Everyone out here being helpful and I’m once again just here to ****post

 

[flotus]

General advice, you should probably not use (what I'm assuming is) your real name and picture on SDN.


ETA: There's some sketchy people on this site.

There’s sketchy people on here?? Oh dear I feel like I’ve doxxed myself tho lol

 

[supershorty]

There’s sketchy people on here?? Oh dear I feel like I’ve doxxed myself tho lol

Mel is the sketchiest of them all.

 

[katiemcat]

There’s sketchy people on here?? Oh dear I feel like I’ve doxxed myself tho lol

Lol it’s ok I have too. People in my class have asked me if I’m *this account* 🤠

 

[potentialsheltervet]

Lol it’s ok I have too. People in my class have asked me if I’m *this account* 🤠

This will almost definitely happen to me in a few months lol. Oops

 

[honeypot999]

Thank god i used a username i don’t use on my regular social media

 

[matthirten13]

Lol it’s ok I have too. People in my class have asked me if I’m *this account* 🤠

People already outted me at admitted students day 😳 It's really easy to figure things out when your irl name is part of your username

 

[katiemcat]

People already outted me at admitted students day 😳 It's really easy to figure things out when your irl name is part of your username

Ik, mistakes were made 😂 too late to change it now ig…